less severe in Newfoundland and colder than nor- 

 mal in Labrador. The predominant windflow over 

 the Grand Banks region for the month was out of 

 the southwest. 



February 1981 



Preseason flights were made on 7 and 19-21 

 February. Many icebergs were reported but none 

 were south of 50°00N. Sea ice limits for February 

 extended as far south as 48°40N and as far east as 

 48°30W. New and young ice in concentrations of 

 7-9 tenths was reported as far south as Cape 

 Bonavista (Figure 2d). 



The Icelandic Low was 996mb near Keflavik, 

 about 50 miles northeast of its normal 997mb posi- 

 tion (Figure If). This displacement produced two 

 major anomaly centers. The negative one of lOmb 

 was located near Keflavik. A positive 15mb center 

 was located east of Cape Race and was the larger 

 of the two. The region experienced low snowfall 

 totals with rainfall also below normal in scattered 

 areas. Many low-lying areas, however, were struck 

 by the worst floods in 52 years, and power failures 

 were attributed to high gusting winds in excess of 

 100 kilometers per hour. The predominant wind- 

 flow for the month over the Grand Banks region 

 was out of the west-northwest. 



March 1981 



The last preseason survey flight was made in 

 early March. The International Ice Patrol opened 

 the season with the first bulletin transmitted on 

 OOOOZ 13 MAR 81. Regularly scheduled aerial 

 reconnaissance flights commenced and a few 

 icebergs were sighted below 48°00N with the 

 southernmost one being at 45°50N. There were 

 many bergs sighted north of 48°00N (Figures 3a 

 and 3b). The sea ice limits (Figure 2e) extended as 

 far south and east as 49°00N 48°00W. First year, 

 new and young ice was reported in concentrations 

 of 7-9 tenths off Cape Bauld and as far south and 

 east as 51°00N 52°00W. There were also reports 

 of belts and strips east of Conception Bay in 6-8 

 tenths concentrations. Southeast of St. John's 

 there were reports of belts and strips in concentra- 

 tions of 8-10 tenths. Sea ice diminished greatly 

 throughout the month with the limit moving up to 

 50°30N 55°00W. 



The Icelandic Low was centered about 500 miles 

 further south than normal and was much deeper 

 (Figure Ig). There were two late winter storms 

 which interrupted a relatively uneventful month. 



Both storms had winds gusting to over 100 

 kilometers per hour with heavy snow and freezing 

 rain. Even with the two late storms, snowfall was 

 below average for the month except in Gander, 

 Newfoundland where a new record high was set. 

 Temperatures averaged 2-6 degrees above nor- 

 mal. The predominant windflow over the Grand 

 Banks region was out of the northeast. 



April 1981 



Figures 3c and 3d are the iceberg conditions for 

 15 and 31 April, respectively, showing the reduc- 

 tion in berg number that developed during this 

 month. The major constituents of sea ice (Figure 

 2f) were belts and strips northeast of Notre Dame 

 Bay in concentrations of 5-8 tenths as well as 7-9 

 tenths of first year ice just off Cape Bauld. The ice 

 limit originated from a point near Cape Freels 

 north to 50°00N 53°00W where it extended north- 

 northwest along the coast above 52°00N. 



The Icelandic Low (Figure Ih) was near normal 

 for the month. April was generally overcast and 

 mild throughout the Maritimes. A warm spell for 

 the first half of the month tied record high 

 temperatures at several sites. Labrador, however, 

 was cold and reported snowfall almost daily. The 

 predominant windflow for the month over the 

 Grand Banks region was out of the southwest. 



May 1981 



Ice Patrol flights sighted few icebergs this 

 month with only one growler reported south of 

 48°00N (Figures 3e and 3f). The sea ice limit for 

 May (Figure 2g) showed much deterioration and 

 the southern limit extended only as far south as 

 51°50N and as far east as 51°30W. The ice accom- 

 panying the limit was 2-4 tenths concentrations of 

 belts and strips in White Bay and 8-10 tenths of 

 belts and strips in Notre Dame Bay. 



The Icelandic Low deviated somewhat from the 

 normal (Figure li) and it was a mild but wet month 

 in the Atlantic Region. Apart from the southeast 

 coast of Newfoundland, precipitation was well 

 above normal. Two major storms produced more 

 than 100mm of rain and caused flooding in the 

 Cape Breton area where unofficial totals of over 

 150mm of rain were reported. Temperatures were 

 1-2 degrees C above normal except in New- 

 foundland where the temperature was as much as 

 3 degrees C above normal. The predominant wind- 

 flow over the Grand Banks region was out of the 

 northeast. 



